Washington State Democrats Push Software Blocking 3D Printers from Creating Guns

Washington state Democrats are pushing to require software to block new 3D printers from being used to create a gun.

The preamble to the legislation, HB 2321, says, “AN ACT Relating to preventing the unlawful manufacturing of firearms by requiring three-dimensional printers be equipped with certain blocking technologies.”

It would require new 3D printers to have “a software controls process that deploys a firearms blueprint detection algorithm, such that those features identify and reject print requests for firearms or illegal firearm parts with a high degree of reliability and cannot be overridden or otherwise defeated by a user with significant technical skill.”

On January 14, 2026, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) also pushed to require gun-blocking software on new 3D printers sold in New York.

Her